Shadow of the First
by reikat
Summary: Eriah travels to the Throat of the World, seeking counsel from Paarthurnax on the matter of the First Dragonborn seemingly haunting her. She learns a little history as a bonus. Takes place between A Dunmer's Secret Affection and Memories Put to Rest. One-shot.


_"You will never escape me."_

Eriah Quintence brought her horse to a stop outside High Hrothgar and dismounted, pulling off her Daedric helmet afterward. She had been traveling to the Throat of the World for several weeks, after having joined the Companions. She put off her Trial for a particular reason, one she needed Paarthurnax's input for. The Master of the Greybeards was a dragon and he alone was the one she trusted the most to help her with her current predicament. About a month or so back, she had returned from Solstheim, an island holding of Morrowind. She had been there to deal with the threat of Miraak, a long-thought-dead Dragon Priest who was actually held prisoner in Hermaeus Mora's realm of Oblivion. He was also Eriah's most ancient predecessor to the Dragonborn title. He was the First. Miraak had been trapped there since the Dragon War thousands of year ago and sought escape. It was through Mora's manipulations that Eriah made it to Apocrypha and put an end to Miraak's dream of escape and conquest of Tamriel. When she triumphed and returned home, she thought that was the end of it. It wasn't long after she joined the Companions in Whiterun that the man started to haunt her in earnest. His shadow had grown long and dark, disturbing her sleep and distracting her when awake. Skjor wasn't happy that Eriah had to bail on them to deal with the problem but he took Eriah's word that once she was sorted out, she would be back.

Opening the door to the monastery, Eriah was greeted by Arngeir. "What brings you here after so long, Dragonborn?" the old man asked as the two bowed in greeting. "I have to speak to Paarthurnax," Eriah replied. "Really? Is it anything I can help you with?" Arngeir asked, placing a hand on his hip. "I'm afraid not, old friend. The nature of my visit is rather complicated and he's the only one who can help me, given his experience," Eriah replied. "Very well. He has since returned from his travels around Tamriel so you're lucky. He'll be up at the summit," the old man said. "Thank you, Master," the Dragonborn said before heading to the back courtyard. She started walking up the path to the summit, occasionally clearing the way with Clear Skies and fighting the occasional Ice Wraith. When she made it to the top, her friend and mentor was perched on the ancient Word Wall. Odahviing, the red dragon who helped her in her quest to stop Alduin, came into land when he saw her.

Paarthurnax looked up as she approached and she could almost see him smile. "What a pleasant surprise, Dovahkiin," he said in greeting. "Greetings, dii fahdon. How were your travels?" Eriah asked, coming up to him. "Long and tiring but successful to a point. Many of our brethren have come to respect my Thu'um, now that Alduin has been laid low," Paarthurnax said. Eriah then looked at her dragon ally. "How are you faring?" she asked. "Well enough. While many have come around to Paarthurnax's Voice, many more reject him in kind. Your days of fighting are not yet done. I sense the reason you are here isn't for my ears so I will be heading off now. We shall speak at a later time," the red dragon said. Eriah gave his nose a pat before he took to the sky and flew off. "Now that we are alone, tell me what is troubling you, Monrahtiid?" Paarthurnax asked. Eriah looked at him, a little surprised at the different name he had used. Her confusion was evident so the white dragon explained. "While on my travels, I was contemplating on giving you a proper name. Dovahkiin is merely _what_ you are but it's not _who_ you are. As you are as much dovah as you are joor, I felt giving you a proper name in our tongue was appropriate. Monrahtiid translates into Daughter of the God of Time. Being the Lastborn of Akatosh, the name suits you," he said.

Eriah felt incredibly honored. Paarthurnax, being what he was, knew she held the dragon god of Time in the highest regard. To be called his daughter by a dragon was an honor she never thought she would gain, much less deserved. "I...don't know what to say," she said, her head hanging a bit. Paarthurnax merely rumbled deep in his chest before coming off the Wall. "You need not say anything, Monrahtiid. It is both an honor and a privilege to give you this name. Now, you've come here seeking counsel, did you not?" he asked, settling in the snow. Eriah sighed before sitting down in front of him, setting her Daedric helmet down next her and placing her Elven warhammer behind her as a show of respect. She launched into the story of her journey and trials in Solstheim. She held nothing back. Paarthurnax listened as she vented her anger towards Hermaeus Mora, her conflicting feelings regarding Miraak, and finally, of the voices she kept hearing in her head. The old dragon tilted his head as Eriah looked down in shame.

"I see. So the Traitor did yet live after the ancient battles in Solstheim," he mused, more to himself than to her. The Dragonborn looked up at him. "I have a personal history in regards to the Traitor. When he turned on us, Alduin was furious and in order to punish him for his betrayal, he sent me there to bring him down. I was the one who ordered Vaklok the Jailer to attack his temple while I led the charge against his followers. Many dovah fell to him but in the end, it appeared Vahlok was victorious. However, reports from my subordinates stated that it was like he vanished off the face of Nirn. It seems Hermaeus Mora had stepped in and...saved him from his fate by drawing him into Apocrypha," Paarthurnax said. Eriah was surprised to learn this information. She knew her mentor had been Alduin's right hand but for him to have personally fought with Miraak all those centuries ago really hammered home just how ancient he was. "Did you know? That he was...like me?" she asked.

"Not at first. He was brought into the Dragon Cult and was known to us as a powerful sorcerer. We only learned he was Dovahkiin after his betrayal. Alduin had sent a fellow dovah to gain a report from him on how the island was faring under his rule. That dovah never returned, so we sent a cultist with another dovah to find out what happened. The cultist returned to Keizaal bearing troubling news," Paarthurnax explained. Eriah put two and two together from there. "He saw Miraak do it, didn't he? That dragon fought him and was slain, allowing the cultist to witness him stealing that dragon's soul," she said. "Geh. It was plain the Traitor had let the cultist live to report back to Alduin. It was also revealed to us that he had a Shout that was unknown to all of us. It was with that Shout that he demonstrated his power to the cultist we sent and slew his dovah escort. When my zeymah heard this news, it was the first time I recall him expressing both fear and anger. At the time, as you know, the idea that a mortal could take the soul and knowledge of the dov in that manner was unheard of. Alduin's fury was great. He killed the cultist and sent me with others to Solstheim to take down the Traitor. Alduin knew, as I did, that he openly rebelled because of his newfound powers," the dragon explained.

Eriah knew Paarthurnax spoke of the Bend Will Shout, which she surmised the dragons regarded the same way they regarded Dragonrend, an accursed set of Words that they could not comprehend. Dragons were easily the most mentally fortified because they were dominance-incarnate who existed outside of Time. A Shout that could bend their wills to those they deemed inferior would've been an insulting and terrifying concept to them. Much like how Dragonrend forced them to experience mortality, a concept completely alien to them. "Well, he appears to be haunting me now. Is there anything I can do about that?" she asked. Paarthurnax regarded her silently. "I can only suggest meditation, Monrahtiid. An obscure legend speaks of the soul-plane where one can dive in order to face whatever demons are haunting them. I know not if such a thing exists or is possible. Perhaps being here on my strunmah will provide you with peace enough to achieve this. I make no promises, however," he said, after a moment. "The soul-plane sounds like a realm of Oblivion. If it exists, is it safe?" Eriah asked. "Fear not. If it exists, it will merely be a plane of existence within your very soul, untouchable by outside forces. Regardless, meditation will hopefully help you settle things in your heart so the Traitor no longer haunts you. You're the first Dovahkiin I've met since his time so I couldn't tell you if the voices are real and he's somehow still active despite his demise," the dragon said.

Eriah looked at the snow before sighing. She had nothing left to lose and she really needed Miraak to stop. A sudden thought came to her and she looked up at Paarthurnax. "If it's true he's legitimately calling to me from within my soul...would it have to do with his being Dragonborn?" she asked. "If you're asking if it is his nature of dominance that is possibly allowing him to haunt you, I would say the idea is not without merit. You told me that his death left you feeling like you lost someone of importance to you and you're not wrong to feel that way. The Traitor was indeed the only other Dovahkiin you will know in your lifetime, barring the rise of another while you still live. It is also true for him as well. If he is, indeed, haunting you, then it's because he can't let you go any more than you can let him go," the old dovah said. Eriah's sour face met his words, reminding her of the taunt Mora had leveled at her after he killed Miraak, saying she has somehow gained feelings for him. Still, taken another way, Miraak had found his equal in her and didn't want to give that up if he still had his own consciousness since his death. Seemed her only option was to meditate and see if this soul-plane actually existed. She figured if it did, it would allow her to meet him again and get him to stop.

"Okay. I'll give this a shot but like you said, if the soul-plane doesn't exist, then the meditation itself should help me come to terms with everything," she said. "Rinik kul. I shall watch over you as you do so. Odahviing has reported rogue dovah to me and I will not chance them coming within a league of my strunmah while you're vulnerable. Good luck, Monrahtiid," Paarthurnax said. Eriah watched him get up from the snow and take his perch on the Word Wall once more, his eyes gazing out over Skyrim to make sure there were no other dragons in the era. Taking a deep breath, Eriah closed her eyes. Her body, mind, and soul relaxed and it wasn't long before she felt herself falling. Paarthurnax spared her a look to see her at complete peace. "Protect her, Father Akatosh," he rumbled before continuing his vigil.


End file.
